Painting by Cécile Ganne, “Portrait of a Lady”

Painting by Cécile Ganne

This modern painting by Cécile Ganne “Portrait of a Lady” was inspired by copies of “La Mode illustrée,” one of the first French Hand Colored Fashion Advertisement issued at the turn of the 19th-20th century. As a child, she would spend hours tracing the contours of the alluring and elegant silhouettes gracing the pages of the fashion brochure. While the lady’s outfit and ornate hat are reminiscent of 19th century fashion, the rest of her accoutrements merge into a modern landscape. The palette knife gives the painting texture and structure while the brush strokes and colors are bold and vibrant. The dynamic combination between orange and blues will create a great focus point for a modern living setting and and add old world charm to any contemporary décor.

About the Artist

A French contemporary landscape artist based in Boston, Massachusetts, Cécile Ganne grew up painting with my maternal grandmother in the Dordogne Valley of Southern France. Her ephemeral landscapes straddle the line of genre, incorporating and blending various influences, including poetic realism, expressionism, and abstraction. They usher the viewer into the intensity and imminence of the present moment: the “eternal present”, a dimension that encompasses both the moment of artistic creation while honoring the fleetingness of nature and life. She often paints during the dreamlike, “in-between” moments of the day: moments of waiting. Heavily inspired by Southern France and cubism, these vistas are enigmas to be solved and games to delight the mind: an invitation to join her in this quest for serenity that can exist alongside sensuous intensity.

Her work resides in private collections in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. An active member of the SoWa Artist Guild, she holds a Ph.D in French literature and several MAs in French and English literatures and culture with a minor in Art History from Boston University, La Sorbonne, and Université Toulouse le Mirail. Currently, she is a Lecturer at Wellesley College.